Precious Gift Part 17(Eren x Levi)
by julieofthewatertribe
Summary: Ok babies, all I can do first is to beg your forgiveness for taking so long to update. My life in the past few months has been a little cray to say the least. But anyway, here it is and I hope you all like it 3 Now: *Takes a deep breath* ALL OF YOU ARMIN LOVERS OUT THERE I AM SO SORRY THIS IS ERWIN'S FAULT NOT MINE I DID NOT CHOOSE THIS LIFE. But yeah talk to me sweet peas :3


"Oh, is that so?"

Eren's body jolted up a foot in the air as the smooth low voice of the captain reached his ears, drifting in ominously from the doorway. There Levi stood, his arms crossed stiffly over his chest and his lips pulled into a thin line. "Is Captain Levi by any chance taking another puppy home tonight?"

Eren bit his lip and latched onto Armin tighter, his eyes large and imploring as they beheld the man at the door. "Sir, please, Armin doesn't want to live with the commander anymore, please, can he live with us?" the boy's lower lip jutted out pleadingly, "he'll be good and he's quiet and he's my friend and _please_?"

Levi withdrew Eren's leash out of his jacket with a sigh and strode forward, squatting down to affix it quickly to the boy's collar. "No, Eren. Now come on, we have to get you fed and into bed." The captain's voice was stern as he stood back up slowly, giving the leather cord a pull, only for Eren to pull his body right back, refusing to budge an inch. The boy's brows were furrowed, his hands clinging more fervently to Armin. "But, Captain, _why_?"

Levi's eyes slitted and grew stormy, his voice lowering venomously. "Armin belongs to Commander Erwin. Just as you belong to me." The captain paused, his eyes widening in warning, "how would you feel, pup, if Commander Erwin tried to take you from me? Is that what you want? Would you like that to happen to you?" Levi crouched down, his eyes commanding Eren's full attention, the boy unable to look away, the captain's words causing fear to sprawl through every inch of his body, "Do you know how _absolutely heartbroken _I would be to lose you?"

The very thought of it, Eren being ripped from the captain's loving arms and being thrown into those of another, Erwin no less, sent a shudder through him, down to his very toes. Eren shook his head quickly, his mouth agape in disbelief, and tore his arms away from the child before him to fling them desperately around Levi's shoulders. He could never, would never, leave the captain's side, Eren loved him so. But Armin…

Eren pulled away slightly to gaze beseechingly into Levi's eyes, the captain's expression stone cold, betraying nothing of the inner workings behind it. "Sir, please, _please_, can't Armin at least stay for a little bit? Maybe Commander Erwin can find another pet? Please, pretty please? I promise I'll do my very best to behave for you if you let Armin stay!"

"I said _no_, Eren," the captain breathed, standing up with a grunt, Eren squirming and wriggling in the man's arms, his body twisting desperately before he managed to tumble back to the ground and latch once again onto Armin. "Sir, I promised not to leave without Armin!"

Levi's jaw tightened, his hands balling into tense fists as he towered over the two boys, both pairs of eyes staring back up at him, stricken with fear. "Eren, when I tell you to come. _You fucking come_," the captain snarled, ripping Eren out of the child's arms and throwing him finally over his shoulder, Eren's fists pounding against Levi's back, frantic cries and pleas springing from his lips and carrying out through the hall until loud heavy footsteps silenced him completely.

"_My, my_, something seems to be the matter, no wonder it took you so long to fetch your pup, Levi," Erwin mused, his eyes darkening as he strode into the room and beheld Armin, cowering silently on the floor beneath the captain. "What's this I hear," the commander cooed, scooping the boy up into his arms and stroking his hair, "someone doesn't want to stay with papa anymore?"

Eren gritted his teeth and resumed his flailing atop Levi's shoulder, his eyes wild and fearless as he twisted his head to lock his gaze onto Erwin. "Armin is coming home with me and the captain, Armin doesn't love you, he doesn't even _like_ you, you're not nice like the captain, you're—YOU'RE HORRIBLE AND NASTY!"

The commander merely chuckled, rocking Armin thoughtfully against his chest, his eyes almost manic as he smiled sweetly at Eren. "Don't let my Armin fool you, dear," Erwin said quietly, "he loves his papa very much," the commander turned his face to peck repeatedly at Armin's reddened cheek, the child wriggling agitatedly in Erwin's tightened grip, "don't you, sweetheart? Go on and tell Eren, _tell him how you want to stay with papa for the rest of your life._"

Eren stilled his body at the commander's words, his eyes watering despite themselves as he held firmly to Levi. Armin trembled in the commander's arms, his gaze lowered shamefully away from Eren's before he buried his face reluctantly into Erwin's neck. "See?" the commander smiled knowingly, his hand running down Armin's hair firmly as the child's shoulders shook with tiny sobs, "_I'm_ what he wants."

"_You_…" Eren's lips pulled back to bare his teeth before he spat in a rage at the commander's feet, his body thrashing until he fell down onto the floor out of Levi's grip, "_no you're not, you'll just hurt him, you pig_!" the boy growled as he lunged toward Erwin, his fists pounding furiously against the shins of the commander's boots.

"_That. Is. Enough_."

Eren immediately choked and gasped, sputtering and coughing as he was dragged away from Erwin by the collar, his behind burning as it slid roughly against the carpet. "Sir! We can't—we have to—!" the boy started, his fingers closing desperately around his collar as it tightened around his neck, his words cutting off when Levi sank down and brought his hand down hard across Eren's face in an instant. The captain wrapped his hand firmly beneath Eren's jaw, his eyes narrowed dangerously as the boy gagged and squirmed, his mouth open wide to gulp down any air he could. "You will _not_. Disrespect my comrade and my commander," Levi whispered, his lips and his fingers taught with anger. "_Do you understand_?"

"Y—yes—yes, sir!" Eren hacked, his eyes swimming before the captain released him harshly with a snarl and rose back up to his feet, his eyes turned down on the boy in disgust.

"Now get the hell up and start moving. Come on, in front of me. We're going home," the captain barked venomously, Eren rising up off the carpet and onto all fours, his breaths ragged and starved, though he made no attempt in crawling forward to lead Levi out of the room as instructed. The boy stared up at Levi, his eyes large and stubborn, his fists balling against the carpet. "I promised. I wouldn't leave. Without Armin!"

The captain's nostrils flared, his eyes widening and growing dark in a silent fury before he bent down, his patience having finally run out, and scooped Eren up under his arm, the boy wriggling desperately against Levi's hip. "I'm terribly sorry, Erwin, for the trouble this spoiled little _brat_ has caused you," the man said curtly as he strode through the door, down the stairs, and out onto the front steps, "the next time Eren sees you I'll make sure to have him much better behaved."

The commander tutted and smirked as Levi threw Eren haphazardly stomach first over his horse, the boy's legs and bottom dangling over one side, his legs closing and fidgeting in shame. "I sure hope so, Captain, I have to say I'm just so disappointed with your pup's behavior today…" Erwin murmured, Armin shaking in the commander's grasp as he watched Levi slip onto the animal, his hand firm on Eren's rump. "Oh," the captain huffed venomously, "you think _you_ are…"

Eren buried his face in his palms, his body flushing and heating up as he felt Erwin's eyes on his backside. He had failed. He had tried so hard. He had made a promise to his friend and he had absolutely nothing to show for it but a fuming captain. What was more, Armin would pay the price no doubt as well. Eren hiccupped and held back a sob as he heard Levi snap the reigns just above his back. He could positively feel the captain's anger pooling all around him, thickening the air horribly the entire way home, from the commander's courtyard to the mansion's entrance hall floor, the floor that Eren had been all but dumped on, Levi's arms releasing him without warning until the boy suddenly found himself up close and personal with the polished marble.

"Go," Levi said icily, his body stiff and unyielding as he strode up the stairs alone, "Get your ass in the dog bed. I'll deal with you tomorrow."

Eren opened his mouth quickly in protest, but by the time the boy scrambled to regain his bearings on the floor and feel for any forming bruises, the captain was out of sight, only the slamming of the bedroom door bidding Eren goodnight.

"Now then dear, Erwin murmured, rocking Armin against his chest as he toted the child into the living room, "you've done a very naughty thing, speaking ill of me to Eren…"

Armin tucked down his chin, the boy's eyes lowered demurely away from the commander's stare. "I'm sorry, sir… I won't say a word ever again. Ever, ever again." The commander tutted and set the boy down gently on the floor, just next to the fireplace, and began sparking the wood, a low gentle flame soon erupting in the hearth. "Oh I'm sure you won't, sweetheart, but I _do_ have to punish you. It's the only way you'll learn. Now lay down and lower your trousers, dear."

Erwin smiled gently, squatting down to pat Armin's backside as it was slowly bared, the boy's fingers nervous and clumsy as they made to slide the fabric down. "You see, it truly did hurt my feelings to learn that you wanted to leave, that you want to live somewhere else, somewhere without papa…" the commander murmured chidingly as he withdrew a handkerchief from his jacket pocket and twisted it tightly before nudging it gently between Armin's lips and tying it in a secure knot behind the boy's head.

A small hurried apology snuck out from the boy's lips, the makeshift gag muffling Armin's words as he trembled, his eyes focused warily on Erwin, the commander rising up to take a poker from the rack by the fireplace and turn it over musingly in his hands. "Do you see these figures, Armin, at the tip of this rod?" Erwin said gently, extending the poker out towards the boy's nose. "These are my initials, you see, and whatever bares my initials, dear, naturally belongs to me," the commander breathed, turning away from the boy to slide the poker into the fire, the flames licking at the metal rod greedily, the two letters at its end taking no time to glow a bright hot red.

"So, with my name on your sweet little behind," Erwin grinned, his eyes lighting up almost manically as he kneeled down beside Armin, his hand tangled securely in the quaking boy's hair before he forced Armin's face into the floor, "we won't have to worry about you leaving. No one will take you in, dear, _no one will want something that's been marked_…"

The boy's face paled in an instant, his blood running cold as he felt a warmth against his backside as the rod drew near. Erwin clucked laughingly as Armin wriggled and writhed furiously, in one last frantic attempt to escape the commander's grip unscathed. "Now, now, sweetheart," Erwin chided, his fingers tightening within the child's hair, "stay still for papa, we don't want this to sting any more than it has to, you know."

The commander then brought the hot metal without hesitation to Armin's behind, a small chuckle slipping through his lips as the boy's shrill cry broke past the handkerchief to ring through his ears, the hiss of burning skin throwing Armin into a fit, the screaming only growing higher and more frantic until Erwin withdrew the rod from the child's skin, Armin slumping immediately back down onto the carpet, his eyes slipping shut and his muscles giving out as he sucked in air in slow labored breaths. The commander grinned and cupped the boy's behind, admiring his initials, showing bright pink and blistering, clear as day, on the rounded flesh.

"Tsk, tsk, look at you," Erwin laughed quietly, his thumb running up the curve of the boy's behind, "not a soul will ever want you now, with that disfigured little bum of yours, it seems you'll be here with papa to stay. You see, Eren, yes, Eren would fetch a fair price, such lovely skin, clean, unmarked, not like you…" the commander sighed wistfully, waving his hand. "Levi really is lucky. He has such a beautiful, adoring pup, and here I am, with damaged goods. But, you made me do this, dear. And you're lucky I'm willing to keep you," Erwin breathed, hoisting the limp child into his arms and starting towards the large stairway, "you're just so very lucky that papa still wants you, that papa still loves you."

Erwin shook his head in amusement at the small quiet sniffles that tickled his ears, the child's tears wetting the man's neck. "Now make sure, sweetheart," the commander smiled knowingly as he slid his fingers back and forth along Armin's hair, the boy drained and nestled, unmoving, against Erwin's chest, "to sleep on your belly tonight."

"Hmmm….now would you look at that. Someone just couldn't bear to stay downstairs in the bad boy room…"

Levi stood in the doorway to the bedroom, staring down his nose, his hands firm on his hips, one brow cocked, before he folded his arms over his nightshirt. There at the man's feet was the sleeping Eren, curled up tightly in the large wicker basket, his thumb hidden between his lips. The boy's limbs were wrapped, almost desperately, around the small pillow that he had tucked against his chest, a quiet fleeting whine slipping out past his thumb as he dreamt.

The captain cleared his throat loudly, Eren awakening with a jolt, groggy and disoriented until he caught sight of Levi's bare legs before him, though he didn't possess nearly enough nerve to look up and see just what those legs were connected to. "Sir…," the boy bowed his head respectfully, his gaze residing on the captain's feet instead of the man's eyes, "I brought my bed up here, even though you were angry with me, I wanted to be close to you…I'll put it back where it belongs…"

Levi's lips remained sealed, thin and set in a straight line, as he preferred to observe Eren somberly folding up the thin blanket before laying it neatly into the basket, his lower lip caught in a shamed pout, small whimpers escaping his mouth one after the other as he crawled away from the captain, pushing the basket before him through the hallway.

"Tsch, come here," Levi sighed in exasperation and bent low to hoist the boy up into his arms before he started down the stairs, the basket sitting forgotten in the corridor, "we won't worry about your puppy bed now, we have more important things to do. You're going to be doing some training outside in the yard today, Eren."

The boy blinked, his legs swinging back and forth on either side of the captain's hips, before he tucked his face into the man's chest, Levi's clean scent lulling him into the familiar sense of security he had been deprived of the night before. "Sir, what kind of training?" Eren mumbled sleepily, his lips brushing the captain's skin as he spoke, his fingers clutching at Levi's nightshirt. The boy closed his eyes and positively breathed the man in as they neared the door to the garden, he had to make up for lost time, for that lonely night he had been subjected to. All because of that rotten old commander.

"A special kind of training, pup," Levi muttered, stepping out into the sunshine behind the house, Eren immediately twisting and fidgeting out of the captain's grip until he slid down onto the ground, wasting no time in stretching and rolling merrily about in the grass. The captain huffed and thinned his lips as Eren padded through the brush on all fours, his bare behind wiggling eagerly as he poked and sniffed around through the flowers.

Levi gritted his teeth and thumbed his temples before beckoning the boy sternly back to him. "_Eren_, it's become very evident that you lack discipline," the captain said quietly, his eyes flashing as Eren hurried to nuzzle his cheek desperately against Levi's hip, "and I can't have you running around _disrespecting_ me and tarnishing my name with your bad behavior. Now," the captain breathed, his eyes growing wide, "you stay here, pup, Daddy's going to go and get the _training candle_."


End file.
